The Centre has notified the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Rules, 2026, in the Gazette of India, formally operationalising the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025. The rules were notified on April 22, 2026, and will come into force from May 1, 2026. 

Composition of the Online Gaming Authority: The final rules replace the draft’s earlier structure with a fully interministerial body:

  • Chairperson: Additional Secretary, MeitY, or an officer not below the Joint Secretary nominated by the MeitY Secretary.
  • Members: Joint Secretaries from:
    • Ministry of Home Affairs
    • Department of Financial Services, Ministry of Finance
    • Ministry of Information and Broadcasting
    • Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports
    • Department of Legal Affairs, Ministry of Law and Justice
  • The Centre may appoint a Director-level or above officer with IT experience as Secretary to the Authority.
  • The Chairperson may invite experts on an ad hoc basis to assist the Authority.

Quorum raised: The quorum for meetings has been increased from one-third of functional strength in the draft to half of the functional strength, whether members attend physically or digitally.

Faster emergency action: the Chairperson can still take urgent action in emergencies when convening a meeting is impractical. However, the final rules require the Chairperson to inform all members within three days, down from seven days in the draft.

Determination framework overhauled: The final rules expand and structure the framework for determining whether an online game qualifies as an “online money game”.

Under Rule 8, providers do not need to seek a determination unless:

  • The Authority directs them to do so suo motu;
  • they intend to offer the game as an e-sport; or
  • The Central Government notifies a category of online social games for determination.

Rule 9 introduces factors the Online Gaming Authority must consider, including:

  • whether users pay any fee, deposit money, or place stakes at any stage;
  • whether users expect to win money or other gains;
  • how the payment is structured. The rules distinguish between:
    • competitive event fees, such as tournament entry or participation fees and administrative costs;
    • subscription or one-time access fees to access a game
    • bets, wagers, or other stakes placed in expectation of winnings
  • the game’s revenue model and operations
  • whether rewards, benefits, or in-game assets can be transferred, redeemed, monetised, or used outside the game environment.

The rules also clarify that any determination is specific to both the game and the provider. A determination order for one provider’s game will not automatically apply to a similar or identical game offered by another provider. 

When registration becomes mandatory: The rules shift away from the…


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Last Update: April 24, 2026